Museum powered by volunteers

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Pensacola Museum of Art Director of Education, Cortlandt Glover, left, gives, Ashley Waner, right, a tour of the downtown Pensacola museum on her first day as a new volunteer.
Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com

Pensacola Museum of Art Director of Education, Cortlandt Glover, left, gives, Ashley Waner, right, a tour of the downtown Pensacola museum on her first day as a new volunteer.
Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com

Pensacola Museum of Art Director of Education, Cortlandt Glover, left, gives, Ashley Waner, right, a tour of the downtown Pensacola museum on her first day as a new volunteer.
Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com

Pensacola Museum of Art Director of Education, Cortlandt Glover, left, gives, Ashley Waner, right, a tour of the downtown Pensacola museum on her first day as a new volunteer.
Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com

Lori Lynchard and her son, 10-year-old, Bryan Lynchard, visit the Pensacola Museum of At to take-in the "Art of the Brick" Lego exhibit at the downtown museum Tuesday June 17, 2014.
Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com

Lori Lynchard and her son, 10-year-old, Bryan Lynchard, visit the Pensacola Museum of At to take-in the "Art of the Brick" Lego exhibit at the downtown museum Tuesday June 17, 2014.
Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com

Lori Lynchard and her son, 10-year-old, Bryan Lynchard, visit the Pensacola Museum of At to take-in the "Art of the Brick" Lego exhibit at the downtown museum Tuesday June 17, 2014.
Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com

Lori Lynchard and her son, 10-year-old, Bryan Lynchard, visits the Pensacola Museum of At to take in the "Art of the Brick" Lego exhibit at the downtown museum Tuesday June 17, 2014.
Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com

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Pensacola Museum of Art Director of Education, Cortlandt Glover, left, gives, Ashley Waner, right, a tour of the downtown Pensacola museum on her first day as a new volunteer.(Photo: Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com, Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com)Buy Photo

But McDonald is no grouch — quite the opposite — she's personable and open, with aqua colored highlights in her hair hinting at her fun personality.

On Sunday, it was her job to keep a watchful eye over the Pensacola Museum of Art's latest exhibition, New York artist Nathan Sawaya's "Art of the Brick," a series of sculptures made entirely from the iconic building toy.

McDonald, like a lot of the folks you might find at the museum any given day, is a volunteer.

Sunday was just her second day on the job, after she responded to a Facebook post on the museum's page seeking volunteers.

McDonald is a self-taught painter and said the opportunity to dip her brush into the business side of the art world was what drew her to volunteer.

"Since I'm self-taught I don't 'speak' art, so I wanted to see how galleries work," she said. "I'd rather do something for free that I care about than do something I hate and get paid for it."

Celebrating its 60th year as an art exhibition space (it was once a jail), the nonprofit museum now has a rotating roster of about 40 volunteers, but they're always looking for more, said volunteer coordinator Chelsea Voss.

"It's a pretty eclectic mix of people that volunteer," Voss said. "We have people who are interested in art, of course, and people who are interested in how a museum works. But we also have people who just need volunteer hours and think this is a fun way to do those. I agree with them, but I'm biased because I love working here."

The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. They halt admission at 4:30 p.m.

Want to help?

To volunteer, call the Pensacola Museum of Art at 432-6247. Volunteer shifts are available in eight- four- or three-hour stints.